Asian Evangelical Leadership Forum themed ‘Disciple or Die 2.0’ to open in South Korea, renewing urgency for mission mobilization

Evangelical leaders from across Asia will gather in South Korea beginning Wednesday (June 11) for the Asian Evangelical Leadership Forum (AELF), convened under the theme “Disciple or Die 2.0,” a continuation of the urgent call to discipleship and mission from earlier gatherings.

Hosted at Antioch Center near Seoul, the three-day forum is organized by the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA) and will serve as a strategic platform for accelerating discipleship movements across the continent.

The forum, which runs through June 13, is expected to draw leaders from across Asia who are united by a shared vision to double the mission force in Asia within the next decade.

Central to the AELF’s purpose is its launch of a ten-year strategic plan that aims to mobilize and deploy a new generation of mission workers, grounded in four core priorities: children and family discipleship, youth empowerment, mission mobilization and acceleration, and AI kingdom deployment.

“This is not merely a gathering—it is a sacred call to action,” wrote Godfrey Yogarajah, chairman of the Asia Evangelical Alliance, in the official welcome letter to participants. “Our theme, ‘Disciple or Die,’ underscores the urgency and gravity of Christ’s call to make disciples. These are not merely words for reflection—they are a call to action.”

The scriptural foundation for the event is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19–20, reminding participants to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The forum, Yogarajah noted, is being convened in a global context marked by increasing complexity, conflict, and transformation, where the Church must respond boldly and creatively to the challenges of the age.

Bambang Budijanto, General Secretary of the AEA, emphasized that the forum builds on years of discernment and preparation, including insights from recent AEA General Assemblies and the broader “Decade of Discipleship” announced by the World Evangelical Alliance in 2019.

“In response to the changing and new realities, the AEA formed seven task forces to discern what God is doing in Asia today,” Budijanto explained. “Through these years of prayerful consideration, we identified four major thrusts that will guide us toward significantly accelerating the fulfillment of the Great Commission.”

He added that the AELF gathering in South Korea will formally launch the ten-year vision to double Asia’s mission force by 2035. Participants are being called to co-develop strategy and deepen collaboration around these thrusts.

The four themes that frame the event’s sessions and workshops are:

• Children and Family Discipleship: Highlighting the role of families and homes as the foundational space for early faith formation.

• Youth Empowerment: Mobilizing and mentoring young leaders across Asia to become agents of spiritual and social transformation.

• Mission Mobilization and Acceleration: Coordinating national alliances and churches to send out more workers into the mission field.

• AI Kingdom Deployment: Exploring the use of artificial intelligence and digital innovation to advance evangelistic outreach and discipleship. 

The setting of South Korea, a nation that has long played a leading role in global evangelical missions, adds both historical depth and contemporary relevance to the forum’s vision.

In a welcome address on behalf of the Korea Evangelical Fellowship (KEF), Rev. Seoksoon Im, KEF president, reminded delegates of the Korean Church’s legacy and its present challenges.

“Asia is not the final frontier of missions, but a new point of departure,” he said. “Ours is a land where the Gospel first took root in ancient times, and now, in our day, we witness one of the most dynamic outpourings of evangelical fervor in the world.”

Yet Rev. Im also acknowledged the pressing questions now facing the Korean Church and its regional neighbors: How to disciple the next generation, how to witness in increasingly multicultural societies, and how the Church can fulfill its public responsibilities in a fractured world.

“We yearn to walk this path—not as those who possess all the answers, but as fellow pilgrims seeking wisdom and grace,” he said. “May this Leaders Forum mark a beginning—a sacred threshold toward that shared journey.”

The AELF takes place in the lead-up to the World Evangelical Alliance’s General Assembly, which will also be hosted in Seoul this October. Organizers see the AELF as both preparatory and catalytic, positioning the Asian Church to speak with unified clarity and renewed commitment on the global evangelical stage.

Yogarajah expressed hope that delegates will return to their ministries with “fresh vision, renewed conviction, and a deeper passion to make disciples of all nations.”

“Thank you for your faithful participation in this movement,” he concluded. “May the Lord bless our time together and empower us to boldly fulfill His commission in our generation.”